North Fork Cozy: Bread pudding at Goodfood.

The warm bread pudding at Goodfood. is a treat on winter days. (Credit: Cyndi Zaweski)

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The warm bread pudding at Goodfood. in Mattituck can best be described as comfort by the spoonful.

The specialty food store and café is a go-to spot for healthy meals made with fresh, local and organic ingredients — but the rich desserts owner Luchi Masliah whips up are worth the indulgence, especially on dreary winter days when we could all use a little extra pep in our step.

Just a small serving of the creamy bread pudding at Goodfood. warms the soul. It is an old-fashioned recipe with a twist. It has all the basic ingredients of a traditional bread pudding — milk, eggs, butter — but for the star of the dish Masliah trades day-old bread in favor of buttery chocolate croissants.

“What is not to like?” Masliah said with a laugh. “On a cold winter day, warmed up bread pudding with a cup of tea is great.”

Masliah’s former partner Alison Katz, who recently opened her own bakery, Ali Katz Kitchen on Route 48 in Mattituck, conceived the chocolate bread pudding recipe. It has been available to customers since Goodfood. opened in 2015 and remains on the menu year-round because of its popularity.

“People love it,” Masliah said. “We make it every week because it moves.”

The simple recipe can be easily adapted to incorporate different flavors — Masliah is currently experimenting with a savory bread pudding.

Start by combining milk, cream and butter in a pot over the stove. Stir until the butter is melted. Add in any appealing spices such as cinnamon or citrus zest to make it your own. In a bowl, mix eggs and sugar. Then add the eggs and sugar mixture into the milk, cream and butter. Separately, chop up your bread of choice and add it to a lightly buttered baking pan. Pour the liquid over the bread — and wait.

“The secret is to let it sit before you bake it,” she said. “That way the bread absorbs some of the mixture.”

Masliah then bakes the dish for about 90 minutes and stores it in the refrigerator to set. It stores well and can be prepared up to three days before it’s eaten, she said.

“The nice thing about it is that it is one of those recipes you can make with whatever you like,” she said. “Some people like to add dry fruit. But people love our recipe. I think the chocolate has something to do with it.”

Goodfood. is located at 535 Pike Street in Mattituck. Visit them at gfperiod.com.